BBMP says the construction of 72 km of bicycle tracks will be delayed by two years due to non-allocation of funds

While Bengaluru waits with bated breath for Namma Trin Trin, the Public Bike Sharing (PBS) system to start on October 15, this might be sobering thought for cyclists - the cycling tracks may be delayed. The Directorate of Urban Land Transport’s (DULT) plan to get the city cycling on the GPS-enabled Trin Trin cycles may unfortunately not keep pace with the laying of safe and designated bicycle paths.

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has to construct about 72 km of fresh cycling tracks across the identified areas in the city. However this may be delayed as the Palike says it is yet to receive Rs 82 cr for the construction of dedicated bicycle tracks for the PBS project in the city.

An official from BBMP said, “We had written to the state government for the release of Rs 82 cr, but it has not yet come to us.

Once the money is approved by the government, we will call for tenders to construct 72 km of the dedicated bicycle tracks along the stretch identified by DULT and then take up the work of constructing docking stations,” he said.

Speaking about the timeline of the project the official said, “If the government had approved the amount last year, we would have achieved at least 20% of the total identified roads. But since the allocation did not happen last year, and we’re expecting it this year, it may take at least 2 to 3 years for us to construct the full length of 72 km of bicycle tracks across the city,” he said.

According to DULT’s action plan to have 125 km of cycle tracks across the city, 11 km will be part of the TendureSURE footpaths (on Residency Road, Richmond Road, Museum Road, Cunningham Road, St Marks Road, Commissariat Road and Vittal Mallya Road). About 72 km will be constructed along regular footpaths.

DULT had earlier said: “For the total of 125 km of bicycle track we have proposed, we will consider about 11 km of TenderSURE footpaths (currently available), construction of new and dedicated bicycle tracks along footpaths wherever space is available, and utilising spaces on roads along 50 km by installing signage, signals and tiny humps in low-density traffic areas, which will be called safe lanes.”

Cycling tracks, the BBMP official said, was already available along TenderSURE roads. The BBMP will now have to construct a dedicated lane along 72 km of regular footpaths.

However the tracks that are 3-metres wide will allow two-way traffic of cycles, and will be built on one side of the road. Those that are only 2-metres wide, will be one-ways and constructed on both side of the road for onward and return traffic. In both cases, about 1.5 metres will be kept aside for pedestrians.